Refuse container



April 1967 J. F. RUSSELL 3,313,569

REFUSE CONTAINER Filed Oct. 21, 1965 16.5 76.6 4 @J 4 76.42 76.37 JOSEPH F RUSSELL INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,313,569 REFUSE CONTAINER Joseph F. Russell, Lexington, Mass, assignor to Henry B.

Russell and Sons, Inc., Cambridge, Mass, 2: corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,660 5 Claims. (Cl. 294--73) This invention relates to refuse containers and, more particularly, to an improved industrial refuse container that is much safer and more convenient to use than heretofore known.

' In my copending application, concurrently filed, Ser. No. 499,183, and assigned to the same assignee as the subject invention, I described an improved truck body into which industrial containers are emptied or discharged. The container is usually made of fairly substantial sheet metal of about 11 gauge, and has a pair of extensions at its discharging lip to mate with an appropriate portion of the truck body. The mating is accomplished when the diametrically opposed edge of the container is raised by means of a winch, cable and hook arrangement located on the truck. Since this is treated in detail in my copending application, it is felt that no further exegesis is required here. In industrial installations using these large containers, a very real safety hazard exists due to the fact that both extension pieses and the metal loop, which accepts the hook so that the container may be raised, are at all times exposed to people and vehicles passing by. It has long been felt that the use of small hand held containers or barrels was the only manner in which the hazards could be obviated. As a result, in industrial cafeterias, for example, many barrels had to be used instead of one suitably large container.

The prior art industrial containers, if they are to be used with a compaction unit as described in my copending application must, of necessity, be fitted with the exten sion pieces and the loop. If, when in use, the containers were placed so that the side containing the extension piece was against the wall, then the loop would protrude to catch passers-by at the ankle or on the shin. Should the container be reversed 180 so that the loop is against the wall, the extension pieces would be sufliciently high to catch passers-by in the chest.

Still another drawback to the prior art containers resides in the fact that the loop is usually welded to the end of the container so that, when the winch raises the container, excessive stresses are placed on the welded side causing it to buckle, distorting the container and cutting down on its capacity.

In accordance with the principles of my invention, I am able to provide a safer industrial refuse container than heretofore possible by providing a retractable loop assembly and a pair of removable extension pieces. By making the rear loop assembly retractable, I am now able to reduce the safety hazard and also provide the added benefit of being able to nest the containers, thereby saving storage space when not in use. Further, by retracting the loop, my container requires less fioor space when in use.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide a refuse container that is safe to use in heavily peopled areas.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an industrial refuse container that is safe to use in heavily peopled areas and that does not require as much floor space as the prior art devices.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an industrial refuse container that is safe to use in heavily peopled areas and that does not require as much floor space as the prior art devices and is noted by the fact that it can be easily nested with similar refuse containers when not in use.

The features of my invention which I believe to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. iy invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an industrial refuse container;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the loop assembly of my device taken along lines 22; and

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the loop assembly that may be utilized with my industrial container.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an industrial refuse container 10 which, in this instance, is provided with casters 12 so that the unit may be conveniently rolled from one place to another where this service is desired. Extension pieces 14.1 and 14.2 are provided on the forward lip or edge 10.1 for mating with the appropriate assembly as described in my copending application so that the container 10, when filled, may be emptied into a suitable compaction unit. 7

Retractable loop assembly 20 is welded or otherwise suitably affixed to bottom plate 10.2 and, in one embodiment, comprises a pair of U-shaped channels 15.1 and 16.2 which, together with loop 18 is arranged to run the length of the bottom plate 10.2. This arrangement provides the means for stiffening the bottom plate so that when the container is being emptied, end plate 10.4 will not buckle. In both embodiments, the loop assembly is arranged along edge 10.3 which is diametrically opposite the edge 10.1.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown one embodiment of loop assembly 20 utilizing a pair of U-shaped channels 16.1 and 16.2. In this embodiment, loop member 18 has two leg portions 182 and 18.3 connected by a curved portion 18.1. Legs 18.2 and 18.3 are provided with stops 22.2 and 22.1, respectively, so that when loop 18 is pulled out to its furthest position, the length thereof is limited by stops 28.2 and 28.1 located on sides 16.6 and 16.5, respectively.

As previously stated with regard to FIG. 1, this embodiment is provided with a pair of U-shaped channels 16.1 and 15.2 which may be welded or otherwise appropriately afiixed to plate 16.2 of container 18. Channel 16.2 cousists of leg portions 16.3 and 16.6, while channel 16.1 consists of leg portions 16.4 and 16.5. With this arrangement, it has been found that additional strengthening may be imparted to the unit by welding leg portion 16.5 to leg portion 16.6. It should also be noted that if it is desired to make loop member 18 automatic, then either legs 18.2 or 18.3 may be provided with a spring, in tension, so that it will retract loop member 18 when it is not in use. The loop assembly 20 is further provided with plates 24 and 26, both of which bridge the open portions of the U-shaped channels to prevent loop member 18 from dropping out when not in use. Additionally, plate 24 provides a bearing surface against which legs 18.2 and 18.3 may rest when loop assembly 20 is being used to raise the container.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown another embodiment of my invention utilizing a single U-shaped channel 16.5 instead of the two channels of FIG. 2. In this embodiment, loop member 18 is provided with the usual parallel legs 18.2 and 18.3, both of which are connected to each other by curved portion 181. However, the gap between legs 18.2 and 18.3 is bridged by a onepiece stop 22 connected to both legs, and the length of the movement of loop member 18, in this embodiment, is limited by the length of stop 28. As in the previous embodiment, the gap between legs 16.31 and 16.42 is bridged by plate 62 to prevent loop member 18 from dripping out when not in use and to also provide a bearing surface against which legs 18.2 and 18.3 may rest when loop assembly 20 is used to raise the container.

It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that, when using either of the embodiments of FIGS. 2 or 3, should the four vertical walls of the container be slightly tapered, containers could then be nested, one within the other, resulting in a marked decrease in the amount of storage area required for refuse containers that are not being used.

Similarly, it should be obvious that with a retractable loop member 18, the containers may be placed closer to the wall than heretofore possible resulting in a considerable savings in fioor space when the containers are in use.

While extension pieces 14.1 and 14.2 (FIG 1) are shown permanently affixed to containers 10, they could be made removable, thereby adding to the safety feature of my device. Thus, when the container is arranged for use, the side of the container holding the extension pieces 1411 and 14.2 could be placed flush against the wall and, together with the retractable loop 18, passers-by will not be in any danger of being hurt by either a protruding loop or a protruding extension piece.

While I have described what is presently considered the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the inventive concept, and it is aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a tippable industrial refuse container having at least front and rear panels, a pair of side panels, a bottom panel and extension pieces afiixed to the front panel to extend beyond the side panels, the improvement comprising:

channel means affixed to the bottom panel to strengthen the container when tipped;

retractable loop means, contained substantially within the confines of the channel means, the loop means retracted into the channel rneans when not in use and extended when the container is tipped; and

cover means bridging the gap across the channel means against which the loop means bears when the container is tipped.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the channel means is a pair of adjacent U-shaped channel members each having a pair of legs and a connecting portion, both members extending along the bottom panel from the front panel to the rear panel;

means afiixing the connecting portions of each channel member to the bottom panel; and

means afi'ixing adjacent legs of the channel members to each other.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein:

the loop means is a U-shaped member having a pair of leg portions and a central portion connecting both legs;

first stop means affixed to the free end of each leg portion and extending beyond the leg to which it is afifixed;

second stop means affixed to each channel member to limit the movement of the loop means in one direction; and the portions of the extension pieces extending beyond the side panels are removable.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the channel means is a U-shaped channel member having a pair of legs and a connecting portion, the channel means afiixed to and extending along the bottom panel from the front panel to the rear panel; and

means afiixing the connecting portion of the channel member to the bottom panel.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein:

the loop means is a U-shaped member having a pair of leg portions and a central connecting portion connecting both legs;

first stop means atfixed to the free ends of each leg portion to bridge the gap thercbetween;

second stop means afiixed to the channel member between the leg portions of the loop means to limit the movement thereof in one direction; and

the portions of the extension pieces extending beyond the side panels are removable.

No references cited.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

G. F. ABRAHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TIPPABLE INDUSTRIAL REFUSE CONTAINER HAVING AT LEAST FRONT AND REAR PANELS, A PAIR OF SIDE PANELS, A BOTTOM PANEL AND EXTENSION PIECES AFFIXED TO THE FRONT PANEL TO EXTEND BEYOND THE SIDE PANELS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: CHANNEL MEANS AFFIXED TO THE BOTTOM PANEL TO STRENGTHEN THE CONTAINER WHEN TIPPED; RETRACTABLE LOOP MEANS, CONTAINED SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE CHANNEL MEANS, THE LOOP MEANS RETRACTED INTO THE CHANNEL MEANS WHEN NOT IN USE AND EXTENDED WHEN THE CONTAINER IS TIPPED; AND COVER MEANS BRIDGING THE GAP ACROSS THE CHANNEL MEANS AGAINST WHICH THE LOOP MEANS BEARS WHEN THE CONTAINER IS TIPPED. 